Hydraulic clutching mechanism



(No Mode1- F.. M. BARNEY.

. HYDRAULIC GLUTGHING MEGHANISM.

Patented Apr. 26, 1892,E

'THE Hormis varias co., pnocrmnm, wAsHwuTaN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Finis M. BARNEY, or KEARNEY, NEBRASKA.

.HYDRAULIC CLUTCHING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 473,444, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed April 25 1 8 91.

Serial No. 390.520. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ wm t may concern:

Beit known that I, FINIS M. BARNEY, of Kearney, in the county of Buffalo and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Clutching Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specilication.

The invention relates toa method whereby I can utilize a rapid motion and produce a variable motion of any speed within the rapidity of the moving machine. This motion can be stopped or reversed without throwing the machinery out of and into gear and without the cumbersome application of clutches and gear-wheels, thereby doing away with them when used for the above purpose. It is specially adapted to a variable speed and frequent reversal of direction, allowing the motive power to move continuously in the same direction at a uniform speed.' This permits of its perfect application to theV electricmotor and street-railway propulsion, where it is always desirable to have the motor run continuously and in the same direction, and where it is also desirable to utilize the full motive power without relation to the speed, and which in the common gear cannot be done, its full motive power developing-only at its full speed.

My invention is adapted to be applied to all kinds of machinery and all purposes where a variable or reversed motion is desired.

It consists of two rotary pumps placed side by side, with their casings rigidly connected and mounted rotatably' on the same axis. The pumps are arranged to have their pistons driven in opposite directions, each pump delivering into the supply-port df the other. If both pistons work at the same speed, the casings will remain stationary; but if one piston moves faster than the other" it will compress the fluid between itself and that of the slower pump, which causes the united casings to revolve to relieve the strain and establish an equilibrium of pressure between the two. This method and means of communicating power and motion is broadly the subject ot' my invention, which consists, furthermore,in cert-ain details of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In reference to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a side sectional view of one of the rotary pumps, the other being exactly similar and placed on the opposite side of the one shown. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line 2 2, Fig. l, showing the two rotary pumps side by side. Fig. 3 shows a modified form of chamber. Fig. 4

shows a modification in which the two shafts enter at the same side.l Figs. 5 and 6 are edge and side views of the key or piston. Fig. 7 shows a cross-section on line 7 7, Fig. l. Fig. 8 shows a modiiication of the arrangement of the pumps and the passages between them. Fig. 9 shows a further modification of the arrangement of shafts.

In Fig. l, T shows a sectional view of a box or chamber, the inside of which is cast elliptic, and said chamber is arranged eccentrically with reference to its axis of rotation. In an ellipse of certain proportions there is one point eccentrically to the center or at right angles from a line drawn from one foci to the other, as shown, of the ellipse, where if all lines drawn across that certain point from side to side of the ellipse and from all parts of the ellipse all the lines will be of equal length, and it is this point that I make the center of the boX T, forming the ellipse Br and chamber C, at which center the axle turns.

Fig. 3 shows another-shaped curve called cordate or heart shape, which has the saine peculiar feature of the ellipse and which might be used in a rotary pump made as shown with an equally-good effect. Placed inside the elliptic box or chamber C is a collar R, which is slotted to receive the key K, Figs. l and 6, which forms a partition across the elliptic chamber and is iitted nicely thereto. The collar R is sufficiently large to iit nicely against the nearest side of the elliptic chamber C when `placed on the shaft at the axial point, as shown. Two openings G G are formed in this chamber, as shown, which open into two wells D D and which are connected by a channel O', which can be closed r ISO bya stop-cock placed at E. In the bottom of these wells D D are two holes F F', also shown in Fig. 7, which pass through the bottom or partition T, (shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 7,) and which forms the bottom or side of chamber C into similar wells, forming the outlets of another rotary pump, in this case precisely similar.

Figs. 2 and 4 are sectional elevations showing both chambers forming the cylinders of bothl pumps.

Fig. 7 shows the openings from one chamber into the other, in which G" G" are the openings into the elliptic chamber C,D" D" forming the wells, and D D' the wells of and G G' the openings in elliptic chamber C', F forming the passage from one side of chamber C to chamber C', and F' the passage on the other side of chamber C to chamber C'. The chambers C C' and the case T forming them are placed, as shown, in side of a wheel A, Fig. 1,011 can be used separate from the wheel A, as desired. Placed over the elliptic chamber C is a cover P', through which is a central opening surrounded by a flanged neck U, provided with a gland U', forming a stuv ing-box W, as shown, both covers P P' being similar. In this case the cover P' is placed over the elliptic chamber C and cover Pis placed over elliptic chamber C', and bolts are passed through the holes I-I H H H II I-I in the circumference of these plates or covers, Figs. l and 2, as shown, bolting the whole firmly and solidly together. A shaft S is passed into collar R from one side and a similar shaft S' in collar R' from the other side and fixed firmly thereto before bolting the covers on. When the shaft fixed to collar R is turned, it. carries key K with. it. In revolving, the key K opens and closes a chamber between collar R and elliptic chamber or box, forming a rotary pump, in which the key K is the piston. The chambers and openings are filled through a suitable opening with a fluidsuch as oil-which keeps all parts well lubricated. When both shafts are revolved in opposite directions, they work together, the pistons K forcing the fluid out of chamber C into chamber C' through openings F F', the fluid passing out of chamber C through opening into chamber C and out of chamber C' through opening F into chamber C, or .vice versa, and as long as the revolutions of each are at the same speed (everything else being equal) the wheel A remains still and will not revolve in either direction; but should one revolve faster than the other it will tend to compress the fluid in one side of the elliptic chambers, and in order to relieve the strain produced between the two keys K K the wheel A will revolve sufficiently fast to relieve the strain with a force equal to the strain. The Wheel A in revolving with the shaft which goes the faster opens the other chamber containing the slow key just the same as it would be opened did the key revolve. vIt is therefore revolved at a speed equal to the difference in the speed of the two shafts, and the direction of that revolution will depend on which of the two shafts moves the faster. This is the action so long as the passage O', containing the stop-cock valve E, is closed; but should it be opened 1t allows the key or piston in the chamber containing the stop-cock opened (there being one for each chamber) to revolve freely, which might be a desirable movement when used in some ways and for some purposes. The circumference of wheel A may be either a pulley-wheel or a cog-wheel, or the epicyclic mo-v ;tion may be utilized in. other ways.

In 4 I show a method of running both shafts into chambers C and C' from one side, which will be found convenient in devices where it is not practicable or desirable to run the shafts into each side, the shaft S being hollow and passes into the first chamber C and fixed to collar R', and the shaft S passes through the shaft S and partit-ion bottom or side T into the chamber C and fixed to collar R. In this case the key K' (shown in Fig. 5)

is made to pass around each side or one side only of shaft S, the action being the same as in the previous case.

Fig. 8 shows a construction whereby the same motion is obtained with the shafts and keys K K' revolving in the same direction and not in opposite directions, as in the previous case, and the direction of motion and speed of rotation of same depending on which shaft and key goes the faster and the difference in their speed. In this case the relative position of the chambers C C' is changed and the openings into each are on opposite sides of the center line of the shaft. VIn Fig. 8 the chamber C is broken away, showing the chamber C back of it. The well D is connected with the well D" by the passage F', made of tubing or cored out in the casting forming the pump-casing, and the Well D' is connected with the well D" by the passage F, similarly constructed. This will permit of both keys and shafts to be revolved in the same direction, as will be readily seen, and the motion is produced as in the previous case, the speed of the movement depending on the difference in the speed of the two shafts, and the direction depends on which goes the faster.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation and shows another mode of communication. TT" are two separate castings, in which chambers C C are made, forming two separate rotary pumps. These castings are bolted firmly together, as shown, by bolts I-I H and clamp between them a -wheel A', forming a part of or secured to a shaft S, which projects through both castings T T" and forms a bearing on which the collars R R', with their tubular shafts S S,re volve. When the shafts S' S" rotate at an unequal speed, motion is communicated to the shaft S. In this mode of construction, too, the shafts S' S" may be arranged to run in ICO IIO

the same or in opposite directions, as hereinbefore explained.

My invention is capable of use as a differential gear to assist axles in turning corners and for numerous other purposes.

From the foregoing it will be readily sech that the motion forms a simple and convenient method for the transmission of a slow or Variable speed in either direction and the multiplication of power by simply varying the speed of the two shafts.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as a new and original invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The combination, with two rotating shafts, of a casing mounted to revolve freely concentric therewith and containing` two rotary-pump chambers, a piston in each chamber connected with and driven by one of said shafts, and connecting-passages whereby each pump delivers into the supply-port of the other, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a casing mounted* to revolve freely and containing' two chambers C C', of two shafts arranged concentric with the axis of rotation of said casing and each entering one of said chambers, pistons K K', fitting said chambers and sliding in slots in said shafts, and double passages connecting the two chambers, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a casing mounted to revolve freely and containing two elliptic chambers C C', of a rotatable shaft entering each chamber at a point eqnidist-ant from its foci and at one side of the line, joining the same, a diametrically-slotted collar secured to each shaft, a piston slidingin said slot and tting the chamber, ports G G' G" G"', entering said chambers on either side of their minor axes, and passages uniting the ports G G" and G' G", respectively, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the wheel A, containing the elliptic chambers C C', of two shafts lconcentric with said wheel and each entering one of said chambers at a point equidistant from its foci and at one side of the line joining the same, suitable covers P P', carrying stuihng-boxes for said shafts, a diametrically-slotted collar on yeach shaft, a piston sliding in said slot and fitting the chamber, ports entering each chamber on either side of its minor axis, passages uniting the ports on the same side of the minor axes of the chambers, and valved passages connecting the ports, entering the same chamber,"

substantially as described. n

5. The combination, with two shafts ha'vlng a common axis of rotation, of a casing mounted to revolve freely about the same axis and containing two elliptic chambers placed side by side, each with its foci equidistant from said axis of rotation, said chambers receiving, respectively, the ends of the two shafts and being united by two passages, one on each side of their minor axes, a diametrically-slotted collar secured to the shaft in each chamber, and a iiat key or piston sliding in the slot 1n each collar and abutting against the walls of the chamber, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a cylindrical casing A, containing the two parallel eccentrically-located elliptical chambers C C' separated bythe web T and united by the passages F F', formed through said web on either side of the minor axes of said chambers, of plates P P', forming the outer sides of said chambers, the shafts S S', having a common axis of rotation concentric with the casing A, each shaft entering one of said chambers, a collar R, secured upon each shaft within the chamber and tangent to the wall of said chamber on its minor axis, and keys K, sliding'in slots in said collars and fitting the interior of the chambers, substantially as described.

7 The combination, with the cylindrical casing A, having the web T, containingI the passages F F' and separating the two parallel eccentrically-placed elliptic chambers C C', of the plates P P', provided with stuffingboxes and forming the outer sides of said chambers, the shafts S S', having a common axis of rotation coinciding with the center of the casing A, said shafts passing through the stufiing-boxes and having a bearing in the web T, a collar R, secured to each shaft within its respective chamber and tangent to the wall of said chamber, and a key K, sliding in a slot in said collar and fitting the Walls of said chamber, the chambers each having ports G G entering on each side of the minor axis, said ports being united by a valved passage IOO O' and communicating with the passages F F',

FINIS M. BARNEY.

Vitnesses:

C. A. WILEY, J. A. SCHWARZENTRAUB. 

